VANCOUVER — Drivers convicted under B.C.'s tough impaired driving laws that were declared unconstitutional last week are filing dozens of court petitions to get their licences back and have driving restrictions lifted.

B.C. criminal lawyers who specialize in drunk-driving cases have received hundreds of calls for help in lifting restrictions imposed under the 15-month-old law.

Surrey, B.C., lawyer Jennifer Currie said calls have flooded in since B.C. Justice Jon Sigurdson ruled that sections of the province's laws violate the rights of drivers who blow over .08 on a roadside-screening device. The judge said that's because the law does not provide a proper appeal process and relies on what amounts to an illegal search and seizure.

The B.C. government has not said how it is going to react to the ruling, or whether it will appeal the B.C. Supreme Court decision.

Solicitor General Shirley Bond was not available for comment Thursday.

In the interim, the courts could be swamped by thousands of people who may be seeking some sort of redress, including a return of millions of dollars in fines, say the lawyers.

Under B.C. impaired driving laws introduced in September 2010 — the toughest in the country — more than 23,000 people were issued immediate roadside suspensions that can range from three to 90 days.

More than 2,000 of those were given the stiffest three-month driving prohibition, according to an email from Solicitor General Ministry spokesman Robert Pauliszyn.

She filed another three petitions Wednesday, and expects to file more.

She said she's been receiving 40 to 50 calls a day from people who are seeking help.

A petition can only be filed, however, if a driver had earlier sought a review of his or her penalty, noted Currie.

But drivers who didn't seek a review also want their licences back and restrictions removed, she said.

There are others, who have already served their penalties, who want to recover their fines.

B.C. Supreme Court is expected to provide more direction when it rules on a remedy, but a big question is whether the province will return driving licences and lift restrictions. "Or are we going to have to file for judicial review for every single person to make that happen?" asked Currie.

Vancouver lawyer Paul Doroshenko said he's received 150 to 200 calls since the court decision, and has already filed 10 petitions.

"As far as I'm concerned, after the decision came out, they should have announced that everybody gets their licence back," said Doroshenko.

He said he also expects drivers will be seeking a refund of their fines, which he estimated could be millions of dollars.

Richmond lawyer Kevin Filkow has also been receiving as many as 20 calls a day since the decision.

Of concern to him is that reviews are still being conducted of drivers who have been penalized under a law already deemed unconstitutional.

Filkow argued two cases Thursday morning in front of the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles. "I said you can't be conducting reviews. As far as it relates to my client, the legislation has been declared invalid," said Filkow.

In addition to the three-month suspensions, drivers faced up to $5,000 in costs, including fines, responsible driving courses and the ignition locking device. The device requires a driver to blow into a mouthpiece connected to the ignition. If the driver's breath is free of alcohol, the vehicle can be started.

The government has claimed its tough laws have been a huge success, reducing alcohol-related fatalities during the last year to 68 — a 40 per cent decline from the five-year annual average of 113 deaths.

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